Treats, But No Tricks
November 2, 2008

November is upon us, which means that Halloween has come and gone. And, oh, what a great Halloween it was! The preparations started early this year, as Frances tried to control her excitement at the thought of (finally) having a house to where trick-or-treaters would be coming to beg for candy.

About a month before Halloween, Frances’ niece, Felicity, announced her desire to dress up as a Dalek for the occasion. Having seen part of a Dr. Who episode over the summer, she was truly excited about the prospect of dressing as a British sci-fi character. It only took the mention of needing a costume for Frances to jump in and take over, in a way that only she can. With the cardboard box from an Ikea coffee table, paper bowls, floral wire, a bit of papier mâché, and some gold spray paint, a space alien was born. (Apparently, a random stranger recognized that Felicity was a Dalek, which really made her day!) [Editor’s note: Photo of Felicity in costume is courtesy of Frances’ Dad, Roy]

The week before Halloween also saw Frances making a costume for Paul out of a simple box and a yellow t-shirt. The simplicity of the costume meant that Frances didn’t have to put too much effort into it, but Sponge Bob Square Pants was a hit with the kids regardless Sadly, Frances wasn’t feeling up to making a third costume so she relegated herself to a (half-price) store-bought “vamptessa” costume. She hopes that the sewing room will be ready in time for next Halloween so that she can be better prepared.

Of course, the best thing about this Halloween was the trick-or-treaters. Having lived in child-free apartment complexes for the past few years, Frances has really missed handing out candy for the occasion. But she was confident that our new house would be visited by ghosts and goblins this year and enjoyed putting out the pumpkin lights and other Halloween décor in the days leading up to the hallowed night. By the time the first set of witches and princesses showed up at the door, Frances was more than ready for them. While there were only around 25 kids stopping by, it was more than enough to make it a very happy Halloween. (Happier yet because there was candy to spare for us to enjoy.)

And now, with the last of the Halloween decorations stored safely away for next year, we are starting to get ready for Thanksgiving. The cornucopia is spilling over with a plentiful harvest, the leaves are falling from the trees at an unbelievable rate, and the air is crisp and cool with a slight hint of wood smoke on the breeze.